The craft beer movement is in full swing, and downtown Minneapolis is about to get another hot spot for hop lovers.
Fulton Brewery
is set to open around mid-September, and when it does, the Warehouse
District location will feature tours and growler sales, with initial
brews like American Blonde and Russian Imperial Stout.
The four
founders--Ryan Petz, Brian Hoffman, Pete Grande, and Jim Diley--met in
college and bonded over homebrewed beer. As soon as they whipped up a
fairly decent version, they started joking about selling their creation,
notes Hoffman. "It was one of those conversations that got more serious
without any of us realizing it," he says.
About two years ago,
Petz was looking at a dismal internship market as he studied at the
Carlson School of Management, and came up with the idea of starting a
company as his summer project. From there, the momentum built until
Fulton went from garage to full-scale brewing space.
"More and
more people are getting into the beer scene, so this is great timing for
us," says Hoffman. "Also, people who drink craft beer aren't brand
loyal, so they tend to try beers from different breweries. That means we
all do better as craft beer does better."
As they ready the new
space, Fulton is working to build up buzz for their brews, through
participation at events like "Brew at the Zoo" and "Eat Ramen, Help
Japan." Eventually, Fulton would like to be a major player on the local
beer scene, but for now, he and his partners are content to work on
opening their Fulton Brewery doors and welcoming the adoring masses.
Source: Brian Hoffman, Fulton Beer
Writer: Elizabeth Millard